I don’t believe this story at all.
Lack of troops has been a problem for some time, Canada has been carring the load while other NATO members have been dragging their feet unwilling to go where the trouble is, which is along Paki-Stan’s border in southern Afghanistan.
Need troops to push into Pakistan, not mingle in the streets. There is plenty of mingling going on already. The fact that so many aid agencies CAN mingle in the streets tells that this story is rubbish.
Besides, why would Bush have a meeting with an Obama advisor and not a McCain rep?
Plus training Afghanistan troops takes time, and that is proceeding on schedule. So Afghanistan needs time and troops to weed out the Taliban in Pakistan.
It seems to me the story is only half accurate. Based on the title one would think that both campaigns had reps. present. Media bias would result in only telling one side of the story about the Obama rep. being there.
The author called it a “brainstorming session on how to win,” closer reading indicates it was more likely a summary briefing to update both presidential candidates regarding existing conditions, before they make too many campaign promises on a topic they have been ignorant in regards too.
Lastly if both candidates are clueless about Afghanistan, then what is the rest of Congress?